


The Curse Of Power

by ActualBlanketGoblin



Category: Cthulhu Mythos - H. P. Lovecraft, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Genre: Also Noir-verse Vulture Lizard and Green Goblin, Mentions of Miles' family and other Spider-people, Noir!Vulture is fuckin rough folks, Not enough people talk about how Noir is cursed, Yog Sothoth is a troll, mentions of cannibalism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-05-16 12:27:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19318168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ActualBlanketGoblin/pseuds/ActualBlanketGoblin
Summary: Nyarlathotep really had better things to do. There were messages to be sent and received, not to mention a certain Idiot in the center of the universe to be checked up on. And yet, somehow, he kept coming back to New York... The boy was different, though. He was impulsive and determined and oh-so good, it was almost sickening. It was going to be a challenge to corrupt Peter Benjamin Parker, but Nyarlathotep considered himself up to the task.First chapter is from Nyarlathotep's point of view, second will probably be from Pete's.





	1. In Which the Background Is Laid Out

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Burning Matches](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17282084) by [HopelesslyLost](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HopelesslyLost/pseuds/HopelesslyLost). 



Nyarlathotep really had better things to do. There were messages to be sent and received, not to mention a certain Idiot in the center of the universe to be checked up on. And yet, somehow, he kept coming back to New York. He had followed the Blind Prophet Howard there about a decade previously, set up a cult in Red Hook, and thought that would be the last of it. Then, the Great Depression had hit, leaving most humans desperate and willing to go to more and more extreme lengths for basic commodities. That was his idea of fun, granting wishes with a litany of fine print nobody bothered to read.

The Goblin had wished to be interesting, dissatisfied with his life of dull normalcy. Brave young men were so open-ended, Nyarlathotep could really stretch the boundaries of his imagination. He had granted the boy skin like a reptile's and showed him the way to a carnival--that would solve his problem of a comfortable life. The man later known as Vulture was similar. He had been a butcher, surrounded by the remnants of perfectly good meat, while being unable to partake of the luxury he was so close to. He was granted the gift of being able to eat anything he chose--and was given a taste for the most exclusive dish of all: human flesh. This one was different, though. He was impulsive and determined and oh-so good, it was almost sickening. This was going to be a challenge to corrupt Peter Benjamin Parker, but Nyarlathotep considered himself up to the task.

* * *

He really had been at the wrong place at the wrong time. Osborn (three weeks after His Wish and only barely managing to appear sane with copious amounts of drugs) had been shipping artifacts to his cult in Red Hook and Parker had managed to shimmy onto higher ground. This could be interesting. An underling dropped one of His canopic jars and Nyarlathotep took his chance. He killed the underling (there was plenty more where he came from) and made his way up to the ceiling beam where Parker lay, paralyzed with fear. He bit the boy. He made his wish. Here we go again…..

Peter Benjamin Parker took to his newfound powers like a goldfish to a whiskey bottle, but he was just so determined to bring justice to the city it was almost frustrating. None of Nyarlathotep's other experiments had reacted this way. Then again, they had all been motivated by personal gain. Maybe that was it. More trials would need to be performed, more powers given to the boy. Perhaps more power would corrupt him more quickly.

* * *

 There were two constants in this world: absolute power corrupts absolutely and Yog Sothoth can be a real bastard when they're in the wrong mood.

" _You know there's more like that spider kid._ " they had added onto the end of a message about a week after The Wish.

" **Of course I know, I made them too.** " Nyarlathotep replied irritably. He had been interacting with Yog Sothoth for long enough that he could see the setup a mile away.

 " _Not those others, there's more spider humans. In the universe I'm trapped in, in your universe, in most of them, if I'm being honest--_ "

" **Big surprise there.** " Nyarlathotep grumbled, double checking the wording of their message while the One-In-All tried to banter.

" _I could probably open a Gate if you wanted to see how the kid would react to the others._ "

That was going too far.

" **You were sealed out of this universe for a reason, that you very well know. You're not going to be opening any gates to anywhere, not on my watch.** " In hindsight, Nyarlathotep should have known they would take that as a challenge.

* * *

 The boy was gone. Yes, there were billions of humans crawling around that godsforsaken space rock, but that one was His and Nobody Else's and now he was gone! Even though they were light-years away, Nyarlathotep could practically feel the fabric of the universe ripple like someone on the other side was laughing and--!! Yog Sothoth, you bastard!

" **What did you do?!** " he demanded, a little out of breath from jumping directly to the Message Portal (and yes, the One-In-All was laughing, probably at him, and he was going to add another millennia onto their sentence for this, petty or not).

" _I didn't do anything._ " came the reply, their voice quivering with barely-disguised mirth. " _The humans did it, all I had to do was watch. You should have seen it, Nyarlathotep! A gate made from swirling colored dots, and I had absolutely no hand in it! They're getting cleverer than you realize._ "

A well-placed fist to the (thankfully) impenetrable barrier shut them up, but that still didn't fix his problem. The boy was gone, He couldn't feel his presence, his soul, in the universe anymore, and--wait. The boy was back.

" **This isn't over.** " Nyarlathotep hissed, getting ready to make the trip back to Earth.

 

As it turned out, Parker knew barely more than Nyarlathotep did at that point. A human in another universe had built a machine to rip a hole in reality and multiple spider-people had fallen through. The story sounded grand and epic and He almost wished He had been there when the boy had entered the gate--almost. Parker seemed a little lonelier, a little more like he was just going through the motions, and so Nyarlathotep decided to give him a friend.  

* * *

 Curt Connors was ambitious and just slimy enough to use Parker for research while not being too overt about it. When Connors summoned him and all but demanded his arm back, Nyarlathotep gave it to him--at the expense of his humanity. The body was intact, but it wasn't his anymore. They should really know better than to make deals with a trickster, it's not like He was hiding that particular aspect of himself. Oh well, it wasn't his fault if the humans didn't do their homework before picking up the correct tomes.

And then, Nyarlathotep Felt It.

Another gate was opening and he'd be damned if he let the boy slip through without him again.


	2. In Which Universes Collide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Somewhat of a short one this time, but I had Thoughts and I needed to get them out when the inspiration hit. This chapter lines up with Chapter 12 of Burning Matches, the next chapter will probably also be fairly close to that story before things start to diverge. Have fun!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty detailed description of what happens to Pete's eyes in the second to last paragraph, so if that sort of thing is a squick for you, I'd recommend skipping that bit.  
> The italics in this chapter either show emphasis or Pete's internal monologue when they're in parentheses.

 

The new universe was. Interesting? Colorful? Not what Nyarlathotep had expected? Azathoth must be having some really weird dreams for this to be a reality of its own and not a section of the Dreamlands. He was a god, but even the Mighty Messenger had his limits (and besides, he tended to stay where the rest of the gods were in his own universe, they didn't generally wander this far). It took longer than he would care to admit to acclimate, but all thoughts of having trouble finding Parker in the sea of humanity went right out the window as Nyarlathotep honed in on a spike of pain that lead him to Brooklyn. It wasn't the usual variety of pain, he could tell this was concentrated in the mouth area, mostly on the roof and to the back. Huh. Who was feeding His Human spicy food?

* * *

 Pete climbed down the wall to get some sour cream for the chilaquiles. They were good, but whatever it was that gave them their kick was too intense for him on their own. That didn't stop him from finishing the plate of food _(clean plate clean conscience)_ and moving onto the fresh fruit. It had been a long time since Pete had seen this much food and this variety _(not since that Easter when Uncle Ben took him over to the Essex Market in the Lower East Side to celebrate being two years off of heroin and still sucking air and let him pick out that lemon taffy and they got a big ham--no, don't think about Uncle Ben, not right now, don't do this here, Peter)_. The papaya was strange, but he wasn't one to pass up free food, no matter how exotic it was.

 

And then, he saw it.

A tall, dark figure was leaning against the wall in the Morales' living room.

He couldn't make out facial features apart from piercing white eyes and that smile that seemed more like a slash that cut his head open at the mouth, but Pete knew who it was.

Part of what made the Spider God intimidating wasn't just the appearance, but the voice--a voice that seemingly could come from anyone. Sometimes the Spider God looked like Ben Urich, sometimes it looked like Felicia Hardy (whole again, and not scarred; loving as always, though the cats didn't seem to like it as much as their real mistress, which was the tip-off), but mostly it looked like the prototypical Tall Dark Stranger.

 

**"Nice little place you've found, Benji. It's cute. Did you put your web up in the corner there? Nah, what am I saying? I bet you'd have put it up in that one, nice and visible, so you can see the door better."** The god spoke, overly familiar and with that tone that sent Pete's fledgling hope into a tailspin. **"Nice people too. So generous, they opened their home to you just like that, do they know what you've done? Hey now! Don't give me that look, you were thinking it too!"**

Pete glared at Him, god or no god. Why was it that when things were starting to maybe possibly be looking positive (or as positive as things could get under his circumstances) It showed up? It couldn't be allowed to hurt the others. Pete wouldn't let it.

 

That was the problem with people, they were so damn curious. One mention of " _It's_ here" and Officer Davis (Pete still wasn't used to calling him Jeff, he probably never would) was up to look and see for himself.

**"Ah-ah-ahhh, they can't see me. You don't want to look crazy in front of your new friends, do you?"**

"I don't sense any danger, Pete. I don't _see_ anything either. Will it… _can_ it harm us?" Peter B. spoke, confirming Pete's suspicions. This wasn't good. The god was getting closer, looking over his friends with a too-knowledgeable eye.

**"Harm you? I'd never harm you, I only want to help!"** It said in mock-offense. It knew damn well what it did to folks and it wasn't about to stop. **"Why, I could help him get his wife back! Or her, her friend could be alive and whole again. Or his brother, taken too soon… Just tell them. One word and this could all be over."**

It spoke, indicating Peter B, Gwen, and Officer Davis in turn, spinning half-truths and lies as naturally as Pete's webs and laying down bait that had snared humanity since the beginning of time. Pete stood up, physically putting himself between the god and his friends _(oh God, was he starting to think of that copper as his friend? Pete was going to be thinking long and hard over that one for a while)_.

 

**"Of course, I could leave them alone, if you wanted. You know how to ask, just say the magic word."**

"Please."

The Spider God walked over to stand directly in front of Pete, tipping his head back with a long, spindly finger to make sure they made eye contact.

**"And to be clear, you'd want me to stay away from those six, correct? To not approach them or try to make any deals?"**

_"Please."_

It looked at him, considering. Then it smiled.

 

The man-who-was-not reached forward and plucked at Pete's eyes and he could feel them stretching, feel the nerves scream as the balls left their sockets and _changed_ and he knew that they might be connected to him, but these _weren't his eyes_ anymore and they itched and they ached and he saw the Spider God look down at him out of his own eyes as his vision finally went black.

* * *

Nyarlathotep watched idly as the humans crowded around His Human, asking if he was alright and about what had happened. The answers seemed obvious to him, it was almost impressive how little they knew. He left then, retreating back to his own universe. Nyarlathotep had messages to deliver anyway, and he could always check up on things through His Eyes if he wanted. He knew the way here, after all. He might not be able to get physically close to the six, but that Nyarlathotep was a god. He could work around this.


	3. In Which A Solution And A Problem Appears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter B has some excellent thoughts, while Pete looks into the void. Fun times!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiiiiii guys, I'm not dead! So sorry it's taken so long, but I had to move halfway across the country and I've been dealing with the fallout since. Moving back into my parents' house is. Fun.  
> Never fear, though! This is still very much alive and I have at least 8 chapters planned out!

 

It was dark. Dark as the space where Pete had first seen the Spider God. He felt as though he were swinging--but no. There was no telltale pain in his wrists. And yet, that feeling of movement was there, so he opened his eyes.

And immediately realized that was a bad decision.

He was flying through space, a million miles an hour, and Pete could see the planets stretched out before him. ( _They were so beautiful, majestic from up above, but still terrifying **for a human to behold, especially for nosy humans who are too stupid to know not to spy on a god.**_ )

Wait, what?

* * *

 

When Pete opened his eyes again, things seemed different somehow. He couldn't quite put his finger on it until he asked Mrs. Morales for his glasses. His vision had been fixed. At least he wouldn't have to pay someone to fix his glasses now… Still, it felt. Wrong. His eyes itched from the inside out, right where he couldn't scratch them.

The others were worried. Pete tried to reassure them with words of 'it's always like this' and 'it always hurts afterwards', but that seemed to worry them more. And then Peter B. had said it. Well, almost said it.

"What, is it like Cthu--"

" _Don't say that name!_ If there's one thing I know, it's you don't talk about the Old Ones lightly. Don't even joke about them. They just might be listening. And trust me, you don't want them listening."

That seemed to do the trick. Pete could see the recognition in Peter's eyes and when he took his hand away, the other man stayed quiet. He seemed to be thinking something over, and before long, he spoke.

"Are they real in your universe?" he asked, frowning like he was trying to remember something. "Is there an Arkham and a Dunwich and an Providence?"

That wasn't what Pete had expected him to say. "They aren't in yours?" he replied simply, confused when the others shook their heads.

Peter looked almost excited now, like he was putting the dots together. "They're fictional in my universe, made up for a series of stories. Maybe there's something in those that could help! Miles, you have a library card, right?" he asked, turning to the boy. Miles nodded, already pulling on his shoes.

"Want me to pick up a copy for you?"

"Yeah, and I'll get mine from my universe. See how similar they are, and we can ask Pete about the details. Right?"

Pete was stunned. He hadn't expected to get this kind of response from the others, now that they knew what he was.

"Of course you can, but…" he hesitated a second, choosing his words wisely. "Why are you doing this? I'll just go back to my universe and you won't have to worry about me anymore." He would have thought that once they had seen he wasn't going to bleed out in front of them, the others would have wanted to get back to their own universes as quickly as possible.

"We care about you, man." It was Miles who spoke up first, his expression open and his eyes pleading. "You said you love us, we love you too." The others nodded, agreeing, and didn't that just beat all? Miles left for the library and Peter B started talking with Peni about opening a portal to the New York Public library in his universe, and for the first time in a while, Pete felt the stirrings (if not of hope, then of affection towards his friends) deep within his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll try to update every two weeks, but comments make me update faster!


End file.
